The 2009 American Music Awards are taking place as we speak at the NOKIA Theatre in  Los Angeles! While you enjoy the performances, ThatGrapeJuice also brings candids from the red carpet. Enjoy!

Rihanna arrived in her usual fierceness!

Alicia Keys looked rather sexy in this little blue number.

Keri Hilson rocked it in this bedazzled ensemble.

Snoop Dogg showed up with his wonderful wife.

Leona Lewis looked interesting in this outfit. Haven’t we seen this before?

The beautiful Toni Braxton showed up with her son. What a resemblance!

Melody Thornton turned up the heat in this sexy piece.

Newcomer Drake looked rather dapper.

Shakira is killing them with her shoe game!

The Black Eyed Peas took it to the future. Loving that dress on Fergie!

What do you think of the looks?

Diva Mariah Carey‘s performance of ‘I Want To Know What Love Is’ on the X-Factor aired a few moments ago.  While I’m almost certain parts of this were lip-synched, for the first time in a long while Ms Carey-Cannon did the damn thing! From the power belting to her trademark whistle note, this was awesome. She definitely redeemed herself after last year’s shambolic showing of ‘I Stay In Love’ (shudders at the mere mention). Nonetheless, a great performance!

What do you think of the performance?

What do you think of the video?

R&B star Ashanti has inked a major deal with Revielle LLC – the major TV production company behind ‘Ugly Betty’, ‘The Biggest Loser’, and ‘It’s On With Alexa Chung’ – it has been announced.

The partnership will see the former INC star serve as Executive Producer, overseer, as well as an on-air personality on a music-based competition TV show. Speaking of the deal,  Ashanti said:

“I’m excited about the opportunity to be working with Reveille LLC, one of the tv industry’s heavyweights and I can’t wait to begin production.” {Source} {Thanks Stefan}

Kudos where kudos are due, it’s great to see Ms. Douglas doing her thing outside of being an artist. Folk may get on her for sales, current ‘relevancy’ etc, yet anyone who really knows how this industry works understands that it’s all about diversifying into other areas to ensure you longevity (see: LL Cool J, Ice T, Diddy etc). More power to her!

Your thoughts?

R&B songstress Brandy took to her bathroom again on film, this time offering her rendition of Sam Cooke’s classic ‘A Change Gonna Come’. Put simply, this was off-the-charts! I literally got chills listening to this. If there was ever proof needed as to why Ms. Norwood remains one the industry’s premier vocalists, this is it! The power, the range, the runs… wow…

{Thanks Clint!}

Your thoughts?

In a recent interview with KMELTV, LeToya Luckett confirmed that she is set to begin work on her third studio album in the next month or so. The as yet untitled project will be follow-up to this year’s ‘Lady Love’, which spurned the R&B hit ‘Regret’. Speaking on the direction of the LP, the 28 year old said unlike ‘Lady Love’ – which was filled with more “angry records” the new LP will be a “gumbo mix” of the good and bad times. (Click here to watch to the interview)

As one of those who preferred the more balanced-out nature of LeToya’s debut album over the ballad-heavy/too-long ‘Lady Love’ , I’m quite looking forward to a return to her original formula (mix of uptempo’s, mids, and slow jams). One has to wonder, though, what label the LP is set to be released on, as after the drama current label Capitol have given her, I’d be surprised to see it released there. Either way, I doubt there’s much to worry about; as, should she leave Capitol, I’m sure many a label would be itching to snap her up. Roll on album #3…

Your thoughts?

This week’s classic From The Vault video is Kelis‘ year 2000 clip for ‘Get Along With You’, which was lifted from her debut ‘Kaleidoscope’. Directed by Paul Hunter, this video really ushered the emergence of the alternate, left-field Kelis that we grew to know and love. While the former Ms Nas’ industry contemporaries were churning out the same ol’, same ol’, she hit us with this this deep, multi-layered take on the song’s underlying message – how someone’s love and the need to “get along with them” is more substantial than material possessions and even the world itself. Awesome video! I need me some new Kelis ASAP.

Tidbit: Did this remind anyone else of ‘A Nightmare Before Christmas’?

Your thoughts?

Superstar Beyonce looks set to launch another assault on the charts in 2010 with the release her 4th solo album. During her ‘I Am…’ tour’s final show here in the UK today (at Nottingham’s Trent FM Arena), Bouncy proclaimed:

“… I’ll see you in a year with a new album”

This comes as hitmaker Rodney ‘Darkchild’ Jerkins, who she has collaborated with many times (see: ‘Lose My Breath’, ‘Deja Vu’ etc), recently posted on his Twitter:

“Yes Get Back out Here!! I mean in 1 month U write for Janet, then Jlo and then leave!! C’mon we got Beyoncé to do!!!”

{Source}

While I’m sure many will be hollering about how Bouncy needs to sit down and whatnot, come this time next year it will actually have been 2 years since the release of ‘I Am…Sasha Fierce’ -apt enough time to drop a new record; a record which I, for one, am amped up for. As one of those who at times used to drop the ‘she needs to chill for a bit’ line, it quickly became apparent that a Beyonce-less music scene just ain’t cutting it – at all (see all the dry award shows missing her showstopping performances). If she’s in her prime at present, then why sit it out? Work!

If there’s one hope I have for a new Beyonce record, it’s that it manages to deliver where it’s predecessors didn’t. I mean, I grew to like the ‘I Am…Sasha Fierce’ CD, yet would have been content with a single disc featuring the deluxe ‘Sasha’ side (including ‘Hello’, ‘Scared of Lonely’), with ‘Video Phone’ removed (not a fan), as well as ‘Ego’ (more befitting to the ‘B-Day’ LP). Joining the tracklist from the ‘I Am…’ side would have been ‘Halo’, ‘Broken Hearted Girl’, ‘Smash Into You’ and ‘If I Were A Boy’…and bingo, there’s a solid album LOL.

In any case, it’s great to see Darkchild involved with the project. Can’t wait to see what comes of their re-teaming, as well as the LP more generally.

Are you anticipating Beyonce’s new album?

Check out ‘Hole In The Head’, the Justin Timberlake assisted bonus track from Rihanna’s new ‘Rated R’ LP.

Judging by Ms. Fenty’s uberly nasally vocals here and the track’s overall sub-par aura, there’s no surprises as to why this was left on the cutting room floor. Though, I must say I’m feeling her swagger-heavy delivery. No, the song is not awful, rather distinctly average – at best.

Hit or Miss?

As with all the major awards shows, That Grape Juice will be providing live on-the-minute coverage of the American Music Awards 2009, which take place this tomorrow (November 22nd) live from the Nokia Theatre in Los Angeles. News, commentary and of course performances, That Grape Juice will be the spot for them all!

The AMA’s this year boasts a performers list unlike any other in recent years, with the likes of Janet Jackson, Whitney Houston, Lady GaGa, Rihanna, Jennifer Lopez, Eminem, Jay-Z and Alicia Keys all taking to the stage, this will be unmissable!

Former ‘it’ rapper 50 Cent has been on the interview trail over the last few weeks attempting to promote his new album, ‘Before I Self Destruct’. In two of those conversations, the mogul elaborated on why he thinks his new LP is set to debut with numbers far below his usual standard. Here are excerpts from the discussions with Hot 97 and Jenny Boom Boom TV respectively:

“With the actual outcome of the project, once the record leaks from the international plant, what more can I do,” 50 explained in an interview [with Hot 97]. “I can’t, I held the record long enough to get it to them, to mix and master it and for them to ship it and then it leaks from the plant internationally, I’m like come on, then that’s it. They lost the ball. You know what I mean, if the numbers look funny to me, it’s they fault.”

“All you gotta do is get the response,” Fif explained to radio personality Jenny Boom Boom. “The response is so well, so good, that I know the record is a hit. So whether they consumed it from actually purchasing it or they got it off the web or wherever they got it from, when they hear it and enjoy it, they end up at the show. How can I focus on album sales now when it’s to the point where my record is released four weeks before schedule. The marketing, everything that’s planned to sell the actual record, is happening four weeks late, now that the record is out a month early. You know, those things are happening after they had an opportunity to hear it and it’s confirmation to the doubters that the record wouldn’t be good.” {Source}

As usual 50 serves up a long list of excuses to compensate for his short-comings. People have not been anxious for his material since his marketing scheme feud with Kanye West in 2007, and even then their were whispers that his days as Hip-Hop’s biggest star were numbered. Maybe if he spent more time perfecting his craft rather than instigating conflict with other artists, he might be able to produce a quality LP like ‘Get Rich Or Die Trying’ instead of the filth that we have been subjected to for the last 5 years. Get it together 50.

Thoughts?

Check out the video for ‘I Like’, Keri Hilson‘s contribution to the soundtrack for German movie ‘Zweiohrküken’. Though nothing amazing per se, I’m quite liking the song. Kudos to Keri for expanding her profile outside of the US.

What do you think of the song / video?